574 



GA RDENERS MA GAZINE. 



September 3, 1898. 



ERYTHEA EDULIS. 



CAN 



AT CHISWICK 



Among the numerous handsome fan-leaved palms, the members ot the The large flowering cannas have now thoroughly taken up a position i 



genus Erythea take a foremost place for their beauty ; only one species, the round of subjects that a horticulturist of any pretensions cultivat'" 



however, is at all frequently met with under cultivation in European for the decoration of the home, the conservatory, or the greenhouse TlT 



gardens, vix , Erythea edulis, also known as Brahea edulis. The genus large number of varieties that have of late been raised and introduced 



is confined to Southern California, and the species figured in the present 

 issue is a native of the island of Guadalupe. In this country E. edulis 

 can be successfully cultivated in a greenhouse or warm conservatory, 

 and when it has attained some size the large, plicate, filiferous leaves are 

 especially handsome and greatly admired. The sheaths, and also the 

 inflorescence are peculiarly and distinctly tomentose. Under the influence 

 of the genial South Californian climate, this palm attains a height of fully 

 thirty feet, with an elegant trunk from a foot to eighteen inches in 

 diameter. When a specimen has attained a flowering size, it blooms 

 regularly each year towards the end of March, th* somewhat insignificant 

 flowers being scattered along the branches of a large drooping panicle. 

 Clusters of ripe fruit have been known to weigh fifty pounds. 



The generic title is a fanciful one, and adapted from Grecian 

 mythology, for Erythea was one of the Hesperides who guarded the 

 garden of golden apples in the west. The application was, however, a 

 good one, for California is always associated in one's mind with gold, and 

 during later years it has, indeed, become a garden of golden fruit- 



can readily be divided into two groups, one remarkable for dwarf habit 

 compact spikes and brilliant flowers, and known as the Crozy cannas 

 and the other set conspicuous for their strong growth, bold handsome 

 foliage, and long spikes of exceptionally large flowers that have a vivid 

 colouring, very broad rounded segments— reminding one of the K;emnfer 

 iris— but rather more fugitive than the dwarfer set. This set is now 

 recognised as the Italia group, as Italia was the first of the series sent out 

 by Messrs. Uammann and Co., Naples. 



Those who contemplate adding a few more varieties to those they 

 already possess, or who intend to commence the cultivation of cannas at 

 the earliest opportunity, should, if possible, view the collection in the 

 gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society at Chiswick. Here there 

 are about ninety varieties, besides a goodly number of unnamed seedlings 

 raised in the establishment ; almost all the named sorts are represented 

 by two specimens carrying from three to eight or ten growths each, so 

 that there is a fine display, which does credit to the superintendent, 



Wrigh 



These large specimens are 



*5 



ERYTHEA EDULIS. 



le . m « ns and apples. The specific title refers to the edible 

 thl y f ? e ruit ' This P a,m has °ow become quite acclimatized in 

 . r ? nce and a11 alo "g the Riviera. Our illustration represents 



2 T ln / h t e garden of M. Hippolyte Dellor, at Hyeres j it stands 



th Th*\l r eC h ' gh ' ? nd has a trunk over thirty inches in diameter at 

 ire «™ rti > res , 1 fronds stand out horizontally from the trunk, and 



This s^r m,fn e " a a ," haIf ^ four feet long, and about a yard across, 

 mis specimen was planted out in 1886. 



Wild Flowers and their Colourinir 



mostly growing in ten or twelve inch pots, and it is noteworthy that 

 they have been potted low, with ample space between the surface 

 of the soil and the top of the pot to allow of an abundant supply 

 of water, stimulants, or top-dressing, as necessary. The structure W 

 an airy greenhouse, but, of course, the plants are kept warmer and the 

 atmosphere more moist when growth commences than now. AH varieties 

 are subjected to precisely the same treatment, and there is no coddling 

 consequently the differences of height and habit are easily recognised, as 

 also are the colours of flowers and foliage. The leafage is very drrcw 

 when a little close inspection is made ; some leaves are almost erect and 

 pointed, others are rounder, broader, and more horizontal. Some a 

 deep purole in mlnm- ~»i _J_ ...uu — c« r ; n »<: • some are dun 



h-mucu, o ners are rounder, broader, and more horizontal. ™» ,c : , 

 deep purple in colour, others are purple with green stripes ; some are duii 



last being the chicory and cornflower ' In th^Z T^' T T T itZSSS S^'"' a " d ° thers P ale green or glaucous green ; then, also there is • 

 out of thirty-s.x species twenty-four are wht largest order, «* Umbellifer ; v, distinct margin to the leaves of some sorts, this being whitish-green in 



the remainder are greenish or'piX^fi V„ ^k' V t " ' n, t\ ! ^ SOme in stances and dark purole in others The height also varies, from 

 species fourteen y H " 1Ce - In the Cruciferce, out of twenty-six two anH v^irr * purple in otners. inc hci^ih to suit 



ydlow. SS wood w ? n "f, yellow ' one is y ellow - and one white and J i^f feet "P, to six feet, so that there is plenty of variety to 



colours varv vprv m««»u ..^:.V7 s . e, . dom found, is vellow. In the Labiatse the vV " . £°°d selection is as follows : ... . 



green w.. Ijr lne i snari jj a l • , -;~r» 7*— «w, pu,*., iuk, ,cu, puipic, ana 



,s considerable variety, includin^S 8 S last colour - In the Leguminosre there 

 «p, U might be said that sprint pu - r P ,e « w h«te, rose, and pink. Summinc 



and white . sum with^igP"" 18 the , helds and hedgerows with yellow, blue, 

 gold.-\y. N. B> and p.nk • and autumn, with purole. scarlet, and 



77 m? • 6WU sciec t'on is as follows : . , witn 



Mrs. Fair man Rogers is a beautiful variety, dwarf in habit, and »u 

 medium-sized green leaves. The spike is most compact, and composed 

 L^T r m ?' bl ? ad - s egmented flowers, four segments being almo* 

 equally developed, so that a quite rounded flower is Produced The 

 scarlet r0S y- sca 'let, heTvily shaded and suffused with br^h 



base C 15 a picotee ed § e of go,d and ye mark,ngS 



Stadtrath Heinrich has «„rnlish stems and foliage ; the 



